ASIAN MARKETS

A SPECIAL NOTE ON ASIAN MARKETS

HER GRAND-PARENTS HAD BROUGHT HER FROM THEIR TRAVELS A CHINESE DOLL THAT SHE ADORED. SHE KNEW THAT ONE DAY SHE WOULD VISIT THE LAND WHERE THAT DOLL HAD COME FROM.

AT THE AGE OF 15, HER FATHER HIGHLY ENCOURAGED HER TO TAKE MANDARIN AS A THIRD LANGUAGE IN HIGH SCHOOL AND PRESENT IT IN HER FINAL BACCALAURÉAT EXAMS (A LEVELS), AT A TIME WHERE CHINA WAS ONLY STARTING TO OPEN UP.

THE EXPERIENCE HAD A HUGE IMPACT AS SHE UNDERSTOOD FIRST HAND THE DIFFERENCES ON A CULTURAL LEVEL, THE SUBTLETIES OF THE LANGUAGE AND THE BEAUTY OF SYNOGRAMS.

AT THE SAME TIME, SHE HAD ALSO IDENTIFIED JAPAN AS AN UNLIMITED SOURCE OF AESTHETIC INSPIRATION.

FAST FORWARD A FEW YEARS, AND INÈS FOUND HERSELF WORKING AT KENZO INTRODUCING COLLECTIONS TO ASIAN BUYERS IN PARTICULAR AND DEALING WITH THE COMPANY’S BUSINESS PARTNERS IN JAPAN.

EAGER TO RETURN TO FUNCTIONS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE PRODUCT, INÈS THEN JOINED GUY LAROCHE IN 1998. SHE WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO REGULARLY TRAVEL TO ASIA DESIGNING AND OVERSEEING THE DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN’S WEAR COLLECTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE PARISIAN MAISON.INÈS'S NATURAL APPRECIATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF ASIAN CULTURES MADE HER A VALUABLE ADVOCATE FOR THE COMPANY, AS SHE WOULD ALSO FIERCELY DEFEND THE COMPANY’S INTERESTS AND ENSURE THAT THE BRAND IMAGE WAS ALWAYS RESPECTED.

INÈS UNDERSTOOD THAT ON TOP OF HER CREATIVE SKILLS SHE HAD DEVELOPED DIPLOMATIC ABILITIES AS AN EFFICIENT MEDIATOR IN THE FIELD.

THE LOGICAL TRANSITION WAS THEN FOR HER TO EXPERIENCE ASIA ON A PERMANENT BASIS, SO SHE MOVED TO HONG KONG WHERE SHE WAS BASED FOR OVER A DECADE.

THROUGHOUT HER YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE REGION, INÈS DIRECTLY INTERVENED IN THE FOLLOWING MARKETS